Arrangements of the abovementioned general type are known in various configurations and embodiments in the prior art. For example, a surfacial fleece filter element is held by a frame, which is then mounted in the area of the filter bag compartment of the vacuum cleaner. An air flow path leads from the filter bag compartment, through the filter element, and then through passages or ducts to the suction motor compartment of the vacuum cleaner. Thereby it is ensured that no debris can be sucked into the suction motor unit.
The known arrangements all suffer several difficulties, problems, and disadvantages as follows. It is necessary to provide one or more seals around the secondary motor protection filter relative to the bag compartment lid and/or relative to the bag compartment in order to ensure that the air flows properly from the bag compartment through the motor protection filter and then to the suction motor unit. In the known arrangements, the configuration and arrangement of the necessary seals and fastening elements are relatively complicated and thus also the installation thereof is rather cumbersome. Therefore, the handling that is necessary during an exchange of the motor protection filter causes significant difficulties for the user of the vacuum cleaner, in order to then again achieve a proper installation of the motor protection filter and the associated seals to ensure a proper functional sealing of the filter housing. The manufacturing of the seal components and the motor protection filter is also more complex and more costly than would be desired.